Remington Dalson
Remington Alhertine Dalson was born to Bartram Augustus Dalson and Lydia Dalson (née Stonesmith) in Stratholme, Lordaeron. She is the niece of Harold Dalson and his wife, Mrs. Dalson, proprietors of Dalson’s Tear in the Western Plaguelands. Currently Remington is stationed in Wintergarde where she has been granted the rank of Sergeant-Major in the 7th Legion. She is best known as the author of Agnes Excidere, though she has penned many other stories. = Childhood = Remington was born in the home of her grandparents, Seamus Stonesmith and Madelyn Stonesmith (née Remington), in Stratholme. Although she was the second born child, she received surprisingly good treatment from her grandfather who had been rather cold to her elder brother Bryson if only because he disapproved of his daughter’s choice in Bartram. Because of her grandfather’s favor, Remington’s childhood was filled with treats and toys; something that established within her a kind nature that would struggle to manifest in the tribulations she faced in the future. When Bartram realized how much his father-in-low doted on Remington, he attempted to use her to win back favor with the family’s patriarch; however, Seamus soon grew tired of Bartram’s bumbling mannerisms and poor work ethic. Despite his love for Remington and Lydia, Seamus was at a wits end with Bartram and told him to return to the countryside if he didn’t want him to wring his neck. Life on the Dalson’s Farmstead was much different than Remington had experienced in Stratholme. She had considered herself something of a princess in Stratholme, but the bucolic ways of the Dalson family soon changed that. She rose early in the morning and went to sleep late at night. While the other children of the countryside often gathered to play with one another, Remington’s arrogance soon transformed itself into insecurity, and she found herself enjoying only the company of her elder brother. She would often use what free-time she was granted to watch the soldiers of Lordaeron performing their drills in the fields, with him. Eventually Bryson enlisted in the local militia to the surprise of none save Remington. After a tearful episode of how betrayed she felt in his leaving her for the military, Bryson offered to teach her how to properly ride a horse. This action, though seemingly placating at the time, would greatly shape Remington’s future. The shy and reclusive nature of the young woman was forgotten when she was allowed to guide a horse, be it in a canter, a trot, or a gallop. Although she was far too small to be considered viable as a soldier, Bryson often bragged to his friends of Remington’s aptitude with horse riding. She was invited to a local riding tournament and came in second place, something that wreathed all of the family’s faces in smiles. For the first time, it seemed that Remington was genuinely happy. Bryson was selected by Uther the Lightbringer to accompany his army on an expedition with Prince Arthas. Watching Bryson march proudly with his brothers-in-arms at the behest of their heroes was the last time that Remington saw her elder brother. With Bryson gone, Remington found that her chores had increased all the more. Not only did she have to compensate for her brother, but she also acted as a maid for her mother as she nursed her younger brother, Seamus Dalson. Remington found less time to enjoy her riding and eventually fell into a dreadful routine of work that left her sore by the time the sun set, and famished by the time it rose. = The Plague = News of sickness and fatigue in Stratholme reached the Dalson’s Farmstead almost as quickly as the stragglers who were fleeing from the city had. It was not uncommon for the destitute country folk to stagger into the city in times of famine, but never before had it been seen that the cultured people of the city would come to the country in search of food. Remington attempted to feed those that she could, but her father quickly admonished her and informed her he’d spent good money in having a bit of wheat from Stratholme delivered to the family. Remington sorrowfully watched as the hungry crawled past like hungry dogs, but did not offer to feed any more of them. Instead, she offered the wheat she was allotted to her brother and mother. In this way, she unwittingly brought about their demise. The first of the Dalson family to complain of sickness was Bartram, but because he was known to be a malingerer it was believed he was simply putting on a show. When Lydia also began to complain of similar symptoms, it became evident that things were not as they seemed. Bartram was the first to expire, claiming that the Light was punishing him for his years of negligence. Remington had hardly gathered the money to prepare for his funeral service when Lydia and Seamus also passed. As she wept she tried to find the strength to do what Bryson would have done, and laid her family out in mourning attire. She could not have known that in the night, they would rise again. When she witnessed the gnarled monstrosity that had once been her family clambering free of their chambers, Remington’s mind practically shattered. She fled at once from her home to the her uncle and aunt’s home, where she found Mrs. Dalson locking Harold within the outhouse. Mrs. Dalson was as pallid and exasperated in appearance as her family had been prior to their perishing and complained of the same aches and pains. Remington turned about fled further still until she met with the remnants of the militia and townsfolk, who had not yet been overtaken by the Scourge. Together she and this band of survivors fled toward Stratholme where they were besieged time and time again by the Scourge. Eventually they were forced to erect defenses at the crossing between the Western and Eastern Plaguelands. From sunrise to sunset they were beleagured and battered, and many simply perished of sleep deprivation and fatigue. The bodies of the fallen were burned -- the sickly were quarantined. These nights were the ones that truly tested Remington’s sanity, and those which haunt her to this day. With little more than pitchforks, iron sidings for shields, and flimsy swords the survivors held out. Remington was given a horse and told to ride for help. As luck would have it, she was stopped by a Scarlet Crusade patrol, which followed her directions and left to relieve the besieged villagers. Despite their best efforts, though, Remington was told that her friends were all slain in the combat that followed. Remington was sectioned off for quite some time; something that she later was informed had actually been done for the sake of quarantine. Only after she showed no signs of changing was she allowed to leave the quarantine. = The Scarlet Crusade - Present = Although Remington may have survived many nightmares on her way to Stratholme, nothing could have prepared her for what she faced when she arrived in Tyr's Hand. The Quarantine is something that Remington does not speak of directly, although in her book Agnes Excidere she does briefly describe some of the incidents that she went through. What is certain is that whatever she survived created in her a sense of fear that has not yet been lost. As indicated in Agnes Excidere, the influences most heavily indicated by her stay in quarantine were Inquisitor Cloutier and acts of brutality she witnessed being committed on other survivors. This is by far the darkest period in Remington's life and helped mold her greatly into the person that she now is. There were physical changes that followed this stage in her life, including her hair being cut shorter and even more weight loss at the behest of a strict feeding regiment. Many of the bruises and scars gained through interrogation have healed, and only the lasting impression of her forlorn spirits tends to speak to the horrors she endured. While she may not have been the best soldier, Remington had an unnatural ability to survive through the thickest of fighting. She performed well in her drills and spoke with passion when the Scarlet Crusade was mentioned. These tendencies ingratiated her with High General Abbendis, who relied on Remington to compose a few of her speeches to be given to troops in times of stress. Remington asked to be allowed training to become a paladin, but was met with marked resistance from Commander Marjhan, her commanding officer. The constant resistance eventually collapsed, though, when Remington was permitted to join an expeditionary force to assist the Monastery in alleviating itself from a surprisingly long-lasting Scourge siege. Remington was under the impression that she might reunite with her brother, who was stationed at the Monastery, but when she arrived she was informed that Marjhan had recalled Bryson to Tyr's Hand. This slight was so great that Remington began to pen rather lewd poems about Marjhan, often decrying any that she saw the woman around. One target of these slanderous accusations was the Lord of Corin's Crossing, Sir Eldanesh. It was during her deployment to the Monastery that Remington truly began to hone her writing skills in lieu of having many fights to engage in. Her time spent in the libraries was filled with a mixture of studying the origins of the Light as well as attempting to make sense of the plight humanity found itself in. Several works of fiction, often depicting the precarious position that the good, noble man was placed in, were created during this time period. Her poetry became more dour and although she retained her faith in humanity she found that the Light may not have been quite as magnificent as the others said. Without explanation she removed herself from consideration for paladin training and instead honed her already adept skills in equestrianism. Remington was eventually promoted to Third Talon of the Crimson Raven Cavalry, an elite squad of horsemen who were sent into the most pernicious of situations. While she lacked the bravado of her comrades, many were amazed at how tenacious Remington was when pitted against a seemingly insurmountable enemy. The sheepish girl that often found herself secluded in libraries was a force to be recognized on the field, and a few merits and commendations were even awarded to her in light of her services. Despite this fact though, no matter how often she asked to be transferred to Tyr's Hand she was not allowed to do so. It would seem that her reunion with her brother was simply not in the making. Eventually Commander Marjhan did recall Remington to Tyr's Hand in preparation for attacks on the Plaguewoods. These excursions were extremely dangerous and had a mortality rate nearly twice as high as those of previous campaigns. After several years of separation Bryson and Remington were able to meet once more. Shortly after their reunion, though, Remington was shocked into a minor state of catatonia when Grand Crusader Dathrohan's treachery became public information. Her faith in the Light had always been weak, but her belief in the Crusade was insurmountable. Without the concept of Scarlet Purity, Remington was hardly able to cope with orders to prepare for siege on the Dread Citadel Naxxramas. She defected from the Crusade alone, despite several attempts to convince Bryson to come with her to the Argent Dawn's stronghold of Light's Hope Chapel. It was there that she began writing her memoirs of Agnes Excidere. Bryson's fate, as well as that of his soldiers, was unknown after the battle of Naxxramas took place. Remington was conscripted by the Argent Dawn to assist in protecting champions and heroes on their voyage into the citadel, but other than serving that one task she had very little influence in the overall scheme of the Siege of Naxxramas. Disdain for the Argent Dawn and its anti-Crusade rhetoric eventually drove Remington to join the 7th Legion, who was preparing for voyage to Northrend. After showing herself capable in the Defense of Wintergarde Keep, Remington was assigned to assist the Argent Crusade and its specialized task force known as "The Cause". = Personality = Like some survivors of the Scourge Invasion, Remington is a victim of Scourge War Syndrome. She is easily frightened and has a timid, unassuming nature to her that she manages to conceal only when mounted on horseback. Although she feels that she can no longer find comfort in religion or those that spout it, she often attends sermons by various ley ministers or if she can, at the Cathedral of Light. Unlike many of the others that joined the militia, she never truly developed the resolve a warrior and is more or less still a country girl trying to hold back a tide of enemies with little more than battered equipment. When in battle her despair and fear recede and the rage over all that has happened to not only her people, but also herself takes over. It is in these moments that she reveals why she is something of a decent warrior, and is known to be quite relentless when the spirit of revenge overtakes her. No sooner does combat end, though, than does she come down from her cloud of hatred, and return to being the lugubrious young woman who can hardly hold eye contact with another. Lately her timid nature has been overcome with increased irritability and a quick temper. Her once hollow appearance is often tinged in vexation and her words and actions are increasingly negative. =Writings= Agnes Excidere - The Lamb Lost. Requiem of the Martyr - Collection of poems. =Quotes= Kinma: What do you stand to gain from this? Remy: At times it is not what we have to gain, but what we cause our opposition to lose. Kinma: You are a monster. Remy: Laugh Yes, but I am the victorious one! =Videos= thumb|300px|right|Remington assisting in the clearing of Scourge from Icecrown. Category:Alliance Category:Alliance Warrior Category:Human